"It will be just as well to wait until night," answered Townsend. "The man in the store below might hear us and he may be in league with Jurgens and Whistler."
"He's not," averred Matt, "I'll answer for that. If there was ever an honest Frenchman, he's one."
"But he's letting Jurgens and Whistler use this floor for lawless purposes."
"He doesn't know what they're using it for. In fact, he doesn't think they've moved in here yet."
"Then we might go ahead with our work," said Townsend. "Can you work in the dark, Ferral?"
"If I have to, aye, aye," answered Dick; "and it looks as though I'd have to, considering that the only light we have is furnished by matches."
"Well, start in. You can tell where the place is by the cool air along the floor. It will be a long job, and Matt and I will relieve you from time to time."
Dick lost not a moment in getting to work.
"The chances are, Townsend," observed Matt, "your negro will never have the opportunity to get into this vault again. Whistler has been away and has come back. He will take the vault key and act as jailer, if I'm any prophet."
"From what Whistler said when he and his man threw us in here," spoke up Dick, "it's my idea that he intends to leave us here to starve. He wouldn't be above that sort of thing."